Sewing-machine.



c. P HOLMES. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 23, 1906.

Patented June 25, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[vzvenor dar/esfjyahe ruliw in z 1 lZ/d'nesses, %C'i COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO, WASHINGTON. D. C.

G. P. HOLMES.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOAT ION FILED JULY 23, 1906. 1,030,8 1 2.

Patented June 25, 1912.

3 SHBETSTSHEET '2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON. B. C.

U. P. HOLMES.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1906.

Patented June 25, 1912.

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

COLUMBIA PLANoflRAPh cm. WASHINGTON, D- c rTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. HOLMES, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SIDNEY W. WINSLOW,

OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Patented J 1111925, 1912..

Application filed Ju1y as, 1906. Serial No. 327,256.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to sewing machines and particularly to that class which comprise a hook needle and devices cooperating therewith to form a chain stitch.

The principal object of the invention is to improve the manner in which the thread is manipulated in forming the stitches to remove the slack thread from the loops forming the chain.

Another object of the invention is to improve the manner in which the thread is manipulated in setting the stitches.

In a hook-needle chain-stitch sewing machine, the needle is actuated to draw a loop of thread through the materials to be sewed and through a previously formed loop. After the loop of thread is drawn through the materials and through the preceding loop the slack thread in the preceding loop must be removed so that this loop can be drawn forward to produce a tight seam. In accordance with the present invent-ion improved means are provided for pulling on the thread leading to the previous loop so that the loop can be shortened accurately and to the extent required to produce a seam having no slack thread in the stitches thereof and a seam which will not become loose during the subsequent use of the article containing the seam or when the condition of the stock through which the seam passes changes by the subsequent evaporation of moisture therefrom. This improved means preferably consists of a gripping device which, in the preferred form of the invention, grips that side of the loop drawn up by the needle which leads to the preceding loop, which side of the loop may be conveniently termed the work side, and pulls thereon in the direction of the feed, or away from the closed end of the preceding loop. By pulling on the work side of the needle loop in this manner, the preceding loop can be shortened accurately to the desired extent and drawn back of the last needle hole without subjecting either the thread or the materials to any injurious strain, since that side of the needle loop leading to the supply is left slack so as to ofier no appreciable resistance to the shortening of the preceding'loop. Also there will be no injurious rendering of the thread through the hook of the needle while under tension. It is preferred to arrange the gripping device so as to grasp and draw upon the thread of the loop drawn up by the needle, as the grip ping device can be conveniently arranged in this manner without interfering with the operation of the other parts of the machine and can be constructed and actuated in a simple and reliable manner, and it is preferred to arrange the gripping device to grip and draw upon the work side of the needle loop since thereby the pull is transmitted directly to the preceding loop and at the same time the supply side of the needle loop is relieved of tension. It is to be understood, however, that broadly considered, the invention is not limited to a gripping device arranged to grip and draw upon the work side only of the needle loop but may be embodied in any arrangement of gripping device which grips and draws upon the needle loop without producing injurious rendering of the thread while under tension through the hook of the needle or which grips and draws upon any portion of the thread extending from the end of the needle loop to the preceding loop. This feature of the invention may also be embodied in any arrangement of devices which will act on the needle loop in the general direction of the feed or of the previously formed seam to shorten the preceding loop while the supply side of the needle loop is relieved of tension.

In the formation of a chain stitch by means of a hook needle and cooperating devices, a stitch setting strain is exerted upon the seam by drawing forward the successive loops of the chain after the slackthread has been removed therefrom.

Another feature of the present invention consists in an improved means for drawing the loops forward. This means consists of a stitch setting device which is.actuated to exert a pull on the loop drawn out by the needle after the needle has passed through said loop and while the needle is in the materials. By exerting a pull upon the needle preceding loop is pulled forward and a stitch setting strain brought on the seam by a more direct pull and with less rendering of the thread while under tension around the needle and through the work than has heretofore been possible.

. conveniently used in combination with the improved means for shortening the chain loops, the gripping device above referred to is also utilized as a stitch setting device. To this end the gri'ppingdevice after'the preceding loop has been shortened and after the needle has entered the work is actuated to release its grip on the loop of needle thread'and then to pull by means of one of its jaws equally upon both sides of the needle loop. 7 r

In addition to the features of invention above referred to the present invention also consists in certain devices, combinations and arrangements of parts, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The severalrfeatures of the present invention will be clearly understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings illustrating a well-known form of hook needle chain stitch sewing machine with the preferred form of the present-inventionapplied thereto.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the head of a McKay sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a' side View of the cam for operating' the gripping device; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the stem of the gripping device; Fig. 4 is a section on the line mew, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is asection on the line y y, Fig. a; Fig. 6 is a section on the line a,-a, Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows the reverse side of the cam shown in Fig. 2; Figs. 8 to 15, inclusive,

show difi'erent positions of the needle and gripping device during the operation of forming and setting the stitches; Fig. 16 is a sectional vi'ewthrough a piece of material showing the stitches formed therein by my improved mechanism; Figs. 17 and 18 are diagrammatic views showing respectively the position of the parts after the preceding loop has been shortened and after said preceding loop has been pulled forward.

I have forthe sake of convenience herein illustrated my invention as used in connection with an ordinary McKay sewing machine for sewing shoes, although I wish it distinctly understood at the outset that my invention is not limited in its application to this typeof sewing machine, but may be This feature of. the invention broadly considered contemapplied .to any type of hook needle sewing machine which is adapted to form a chain stitch. V i

Referring briefly to Fig. 1 which shows a front view of the head of a McKay machine, 3 designates the cam-shaft on which the various cams are situated for operating the needle, the cast-oft, the feeding mechanism, etc; 4 the driving-pulley for operating the cam-shaft; 5 the needle-bar; 6 the needle; 7 the cast-0E; 8 the feeding mechanism; and 9 the horn on which the shoe 10, shown in dotted lines, is supported while it is being sewed. These parts may be of any suitable or usual construction and form no part of my present invention.

11 designates the gripping device which operates to shorten the loops of the chain and exert a stitch setting strain on the seam in the manner above referred to. This gripping device comprises a reciprocating shank 19 placed at an inclination, as shown in Fig. 1, andhaving at its lower end anose 15, one side of which, 16, constitutes a fixed jaw that cooperates with a movable jaw 17. In the present embodiment of my invention this movable jaw 17 is carried by an arm 18 which is shown as extending through a slot in the shank 19 and as pivoted thereto, as at 20, so that the jaws may open away from each other or close together. The arm 18 is acted upon at its upper end by a suitable spring 200 which normally tends to open. the jaws away from each other, and said jaws are closed by engagement of the offset cam surface 21 of the arm 18 with the walls of an aperture 22 in a guide or cam member 23 through which the shank l9 reciprocates' Before describing the details of construction, I will describe the various steps performed and the positions occupied by the gripping device and the needle during the operation of forming a stitch and exerting a stitch setting strain on the seam. This will be best understood by reference to Figs. 9 to 15, wherein the needle, the cast-off and the gripping device are illustrated in the different successive positions they occupy during the operation of forming the stitch and exerting a stitch setting strain on the seam. In Fig. 8, the lastformed loop 12 has been drawn through the material 13 and through the loop 14 of the previously-formed stitch and the material has been fed forward ready for the next descent of the needle 6, the needle being in its retracted position. In this position, the nose 15 of the gripping device is adjacent to the needle and in position to enter the loop 12. WVhile the needle is still retracted the gripping device is moved downwardly, as shown by the arrow Fig. 9, thereby causing thenose 15 to enter the lastformed loop 12-, as shown in Fig. 9, it being understood that in this position the jaws 16 and 17 are open, so that the jaw 17 passes down on the outside of the loop. After the nose 15 has thus entered the loop, as shown in Fig. 9, the shank 19 is turned, as shown in Fig. 10, to separate the work side 24 of the loop 12 from the supply side 25 thereof, the side 24 being that which leads to the previously-formed loop 14. After the shank 19 has been turned, it is retracted and at the same time the jaws 16 and 17 are closed to gether, thereby gripping the side 24 of the loop 12, and as said shank moves upwardly, as shown by the arrow 6 Fig. 11, the side 24 of the loop 12 is drawn on, thereby taking up the slack in the previously formed stitch 14.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the shank of the gripping device is inclined to the left, and, therefore, the upward movement of said shank 19 results in drawing backwardly or toward the left in the direction of feed, as well as upwardly, on the side 24 of the loop 12.

The jaws 16 and 17 are given suflicient upward movement, as shown in Fig. 12, to not only take the slack out of the loop 14, but because of the backward inclination of the shank 19 and the portion 24 of the loop 12, this upward pull of the jaws results in drawing the bight of the loop 14 backwardly beyond the hole 30 through which the lastformed loop 12 is drawn, as best seen in Figs. 12 and 17. After the slack has thus been taken out of the loop 14 and the bight thereof has been drawn backwardly beyond the hole 30 through the material 13, the next operation is to draw forwardly on the part 25 of the loop 12, thereby to pull the loop 14 of the previously-formed stitch forwardly and exert a stitch setting strain on the seam. This operation may be and preferably is done while the needle is in the stock, and, therefore, after the parts have reached the position shown in Fig. 12, the needle descends through the stock, as shown in Fig. 13, and at the same time the gripping device also descends. After the needle has been inserted through the stock, as shown in Fig. 14, and the supply end 33 of the thread has been looped about the needle, the gripping device is again elevated or retracted, and at this time is carried higher than in the position shown in Fig. 12, that is, to the position shown in Figs. 14 and 18. In this position, the jaws are opened and the nose 15 draws on the loop 12, said loop being free to reeve over the nose 15. The upward pull of the nose 15 on the loop 12 causes an equal strain to be put upon both the sides 24 and 25 of said loop. The side 24 of the loop inclines backwardly, but the side 25 of the loop passes around the cast-off 7, and therefore extends from the loop 14 in a forwardly direction. The forward pull of the part 25 of the loop 12 results in drawing the previously-formed loop. 14 forward and tends trated a simple and etlicacious means.

to draw said loop down hard against the material 13 and thus firmly tighten and place the previously-formed stitch. The jaws are then lowered and turned into the position shown in Fig. 15, the'needle 6 at the same time being withdrawn from the stock and drawing a new loop 36 therethrough. After the member 19 is thus turned into the position shown in Fig. 15, it is elevated and the loop 12 is cast off therefrom, the new loop 36 being drawn through the loop 12, as shown in Fig. 15, and the nose 15 then assumes the position shown in Fig. 8. As the loop 36 is drawn through the material, the slack is partly taken up in the loop 12, and both sides thereof are pulled forwardly, as shown by the loop 14 in Fig. 8, this forward movement tending to draw the part 24 of the loop 12 forwardly by the side of the part 25 where it passes through the loop 14. lVhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 14, the part 25 of the loop 12 where it passes through the loop 14 stands in front of the part 24 of said loop.

Any suitable mechanical means for giving the gripping device its requisite movement may be employed without departing from the invention. 1 have herein illus- The shank 19 of the gripping device is adapted to slide through the guide 23, as above stated, and also through another guide 36 which latter is suitably supported from the head. Said shank has thereon two collars 39 and 40 between which the forked end of a lever 42 is received. Said lever is pivoted to one end of a fixed support, as at 43, and is connected intermediate of its ends with the end of a cam-lever 44 by means of a suitable link 45. The cam-lever 44 is pivoted inter mediate of its ends to a fixed portion of the frame, as at 46, and one end has thereon a roll which is received in a cam-groove 47 in one side of the cam-disk 48, said disk being mounted on the shaft 3. The cam-groove 47 is so shaped as to give the stitch-setting mechanism the requisite up-and-down movement. The stem-19 and nose 15 are given their turning movement by means of another cam-groove 50 which may be in a separate cam-disk or may be in the reverse side of the cam-disk 48. This cam-groove 50 acts upon a projection or roll 51 extending from a lever 52 which is pivoted at one end to a suitable fixed support, as at 53, and has con nected to the other end a link or connection 54 that is secured to an oscillating gear 55. The gear 55 meshes with a long gear 56 fast on the stem 19 of the gripping device. The cam-groove 50 is so shaped as to turn the gears 55 and 56 at the proper time thereby to cause the gripping device to turn into the position shown in Figs. 8 to 15. The gear 56 is made long enough so that it is not thrown out of mesh with the gear 55 by the up-and-down movement of the stem 19. The connection between the lever 42 and the stem 19 is preferably ayielding connection, so that it will give during the upward movement of the stem or shank 19 before the thread is pulled tight enough to cause it to break. For this purpose I have shown the collar 40 as slidably mounted on the shank and as being held in position by means of a suitable spring 60 which is interposed between said collar and an adjustable stop or nut 61. The tension of the spring 60 is so gaged that it will yield before there has been suficient strain placed upon the thread of the loop 12 to cause the thread to be ruptured.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted thatthe cam surface 21 on the arm 18 projects beyond the shank 19. The aperture 22 through which the shank 19 plays is provided with two recesses 63 and 64, the recess 63 being deep enough and being so situated that the projecting end of the arm 18 will play up and down in said recess when the shank is in the position shown in Figs. 8 and 15. hen, however, the shank is turned through 90 or into the position shown in Figs. 10 to 13, the cam face 21 will be engaged by the walls of the aperture 22 during the up-and-down movement of the shank, thereby to cause the jaws to close together and then open away from each other dependent upon the relative position of the cam surface 21 and the guide 23. The recess 64 is so positioned that when the jaws reach substantially the position shown in Fig. 12, the cam surface 21 has passed out from engagement with the aperture 22 and forced into said recess 64 by the action of the spring 200. When, therefore, the aws are elevated to their highest posit-ion, as shown in Fig.

14, they are open and the strain on the loop 12 is, therefore, equally transmitted to both of the sides 24 and 25 thereof.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a sewing machine embodying the several features thereof in their preferred form having been specifically described, what is claimed is 1. In a chain stitch sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to draw a loop through a previously-formed loop, means to act on said first-named loop to first pull the same backwardly and thereby take up the slack in the previouslyformed loop and to draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the first named loop is drawn, and then to draw forwardly on said first-named loop thereby to set the previously-formed stitch.

2. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to form the loops of a chain stitch, and means to act on one side only of the last-formed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the previouslyformed stitch and draw'the bightthereof back of the hole through which the lastformed loop is inserted, and to thereafter act equally on both sides of said last-formed loop, thereby to set the previous stitch.

3. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to form the loops of a chain stitch, and means to draw backwardly on one side only of the lastformed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the previously-formed stitch and draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last-formed loop is inserted, and to draw on both sides of said last-formed loop, thereby to set the previously-formed stitch.

4. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including\ means to form the loops of a chain stitch, and means to draw backwardly on one side only of the lastformed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the previously-formed stitch and draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last-formed loop is inserted, and to draw forwardly on said loop, thereby to draw the loop of the last-formed stitch forwardly and set the same.

5. In a sewing machine, a needle, a castoff, and stitchsetting mechanism acting to draw on one side of the last-formed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the loop of the previously-formed stitch and draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last-formed loop is inserted, and means to causethe needle to enter the stock, said stitch-setting mechanism acting on both 100 sides of said last-formed loop while the needle is in the stock, thereby drawing the loop around the cast-off and pulling the loop of the previously-formed stitch forwardly to set the same.

6. In a chain stitch sewing machine, a needle, stitch-setting mechanism, and means to cause said stitch-setting mechanism to draw backwardly on one side of the lastformed loop, thereby to take up the slack 110 in the previously-formed loop and draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last-formed loop is inserted, and to thereafter cause said stitch-setting mechanism to draw forwardly on the other side of 115 said last-formed loop, thereby to cause the previously-formed loop to be drawn forwardly and to be set.

7. In a chain stitch sewing machine, a needle, a cast-off and stitch-setting mecha- 120 nism acting first to draw on one side only of the last-formed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the loop of the previouslyformed stitch and to draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last- 125 formed loop is inserted, and then to draw on both sides of said last-formed loop thereby drawing the loop around the cast-off and pulling the loop of the previously-formed stitch forwardly to set the same.

8. In achain stitch sewing machine, a needle, needle-operating mechanism, a stitch-setting mechanism, and means to cause said stitch-setting mechanism to draw first on one side of the last-formed loop while the needle is out of the stock and then on both sides thereof while the needle is in the stock, thereby to set the previously-formed stitch.

9. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means for forming the loops of the chain-stitch and means to draw on one side only of the last-formed loop to take slack out of the previously formed loop.

10. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to form the loops of a chain-stitch and means to draw on that side only of the last-formed loop which extends to the previously-formed stitch.

11. In a sewing machine, means to form the loops of a chain-stitch, and a gripping device to grip one side of the last-formed loop and draw thereon to take the slack out of the previously-formed loop.

12. In a sewing machine, means to fdrm loops of a chain-stitch, and means acting to first grasp the side of the last-forn'ied loop which extends to the previously-formed stitch and draw thereon, thereby to take the slack out of the previously-formed stitch and thereafter to draw on both sides on the 1astformed loop to set the previouslyformed stitch.

13. In a sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to form the loops of a chain-stitch, and means acting first to drawbackwardly on that side only of the last formed loop which extends to the previously-formed stitch and thereafter to draw forwardly on said loop.

14. I11 a chain-stitch sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to draw a loop through a previously-formed loop, means to draw the bigl'it of the previously-formed loop back of the hole through which the last loop was drawn, and. means to draw forwardly on said last-formed loop to pull the previously-formed loop forwardly and down against the material.

15. In a chain-stitch sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including stitchsetting mechanism to act on the last-formed loop to first take up the slack in the loop of the previously-formed stitch and draw the bight thereof back of the hole through which the last-formed loop is passed, and

then to draw forwardly on said last-formedloop, thereby to draw the bight of the viously-formed loop forwardly.

16. In a chain-stitch sewing machine, stitch forming mechanism including means to draw on one side only of the last-formed loop, thereby to take up the slack in the previously-formed stitch and thereafter to predraw equally on both sides of said loop, thereby to set said previously-formed stitch. 17. In a chain-stitch sewing machine, a needle, a stitch-setting mechanism, and means to cause said stitch-setting mechanism to draw first 011 one side only of the lastformed loop and then on both sides thereof, thereby to set the previously-formed loop.

18. A chain-stitch sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism, combined with nippers, and means to operate the same to cause them to engage the thread of the last formed needle thread loop and produce tightening of the stitch by pulling on the loop of thread in the line of the seam.

19. A sewing machine containing stitchforming mechanism and loop-deflecting, and stitch-tightening nippers movable, in operation, in the direction of the length of the seam.

20. A sewing machine containing stitchforming mechanism comprising a needle combined with loopdeflecting and stitchtightening nippers independent of the needle and operating on the needle-loops between the needle and the work and during the work. feed period.

21. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a gripping device, and means for actuating said device to grip the loop drawn out by the needle and pull thereon to shorten the preceding loop.

22. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a gripping device, and means for actuating said device to grip the thread between the end of the needle loop and the preceding loop and pull thereon to shorten said preceding loop.

23. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a gripping device, and means for actuating said device to grip theloop drawn out by the needle and pull thereon in the direction of feed to shorten the preceding loop.

24. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a stitch setting device, and means for actuating said device to engage the loop of thread last drawn out by the needle and exert a pull thereon while the needle is in the work to exert a stitch setting strain on the seam.

25 A chain stitch sewing machine,ha'ving, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a grip ping device, and means for actuating said device to grip the work side of the loop drawn out by the needle and exert a pull thereon in the direction of feed to shorten the preceding loop.

26. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of'thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a gripping device, and means for actuating said device to grip the work side of the loop drawn out by the needle and pull thereon to shorten the preceding loop and thereafter release its grip on the thread and pull on both sides of the loop of needle thread while the needle is in the work.

27. A chain stitch sewing machine, having,.in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a stitch setting device and means for actuating said device to engage the loop of thread last drawn out by the needle and pull backwardly thereon to shorten the preceding loop and thereafter exert a forward pull thereon away from the end of the preceding loop to draw said preceding loop forward and exert a stitch setting strain on the seam.

28. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitchforming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop ofrthread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, and means for gripping and pulling on the needle loop to shorten the preceding loop comprising a gripping device provided with thread gripping jaws, positively acting means to close the aws on the thread and means forractuating the gripping device to exert a pull on the thread.

29. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a gripping device arranged to grip the loop of thread drawn out by the needle and exert a pull thereon to shorten the preceding loop, means for reciprocating the gripping device, and a cam plate across which the gripping device reciprocates arranged to actuate the gripping device positively to grip the thread. p p

30. A chain stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hooked needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, and means for relieving the supply side of the loop drawn out by the needle of tension and for acting on the loop in the general direc tion of the previously formed seam to shorten the preceding loop.

31. A chain stitch sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle operating to draw a loop of thread through the materials and through a previously formed loop, a stitch setting device, and means for actuating said device to engage the loop of thread last drawn out by the needle and exert a pull on said loop while the needle is in the work in a direction to draw said loop around the needle and thereby pull the preceding loop forward.

32. A chain stitch sewing machine hav In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. HOLMES. Witnesses:

LoUIs SMITH,

I MARGARET A. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

